When the Rain Falls
by NeeChan92
Summary: "Don't ever think that you're a mistake," he murmured over the hum of the water. "You're more important than you know." SasuNaru Oneshot


AN: My first story in quite some time! Kekeke! Comments and critiques strongly encouraged! Just so you know, there's no actual smut in here, just looots of implications. Not my forte. Hahah! Enjoy~

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The rain poured down harder today than it had in weeks, despite the clear day that had preceded it. Blue eyes gazed out from behind a speckled window pane. The glass in front of his mouth fogged and cleared with the heat of each breath, but he paid it no mind. His mind was miles away, as it always was when the sound of rain pounded the roof above his head into a hushed hum.

He couldn't help his wandering thoughts this evening, and he was all out of saké to quiet the questions they always brought. Where was he right now? Was he safe from the storm? Was it even raining where he was? Certainly, the man was intelligent enough to find cover, he had no doubt about that. But maybe, on nights like this, he felt the same urge that Naruto did.

Cerulean orbs disappeared slowly behind lids, accompanied by a soft sigh. He longed to feel the crash of rain drops against his skin, battering him with all their might. He felt like he needed to be washed clean of this ache that was beginning to bud in his chest. All he could see when he closed his eyes was black. It wasn't the black of his eyelids, though. No. It was the deep onyx of eyes he could never forget. Those eyes would haunt him for the rest of his life.

"Sasuke..." The name slipped from his lips, drifting into the quiet emptiness of his apartment. The darkness in the room was barely ebbed by the small lantern that sat on the end table by the couch. When Naruto reopened his eyes, they fell on the small flame. A wry smile slipped into place. The reflection danced in his gaze.

Oh, how he wished he could go back to that night. It had all seemed so perfect for those few brief moments. _'Too perfect,'_ he thought scornfully. Just like everything else in his life, nothing that brought him happiness could last for long. His eyes dropped to his hands. If Sakura-chan could hear him right now, he would be in line for some major pain. She hated when he was down on himself...

But how could he not be? He had let the one thing in his life that had ever really mattered slip from his fingertips. How could he bear to live with himself? It was just too much...

He could almost hear his name whispered beneath the hum of the rain. Bright eyes shot up to scan the dark room only to find that he was just as alone as he always was. Slowly, Naruto released a shaky breath, ignoring the way his eyes were beginning to sting with the threat of tears. He had to get a hold of himself.

"Why, Sasuke...?" he asked the empty room almost frantically. His face fell into his hands, and he felt his teetering resolve crumble to ashes.

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*Flashback*

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The blonde boy grumbled as he clicked his front door shut behind him. Not only did he have to deal with running into those weird ninjas from the Sand village today, to top it all off he had walked most of the way home in pouring rain! Could his luck seriously get any worse right now?

"Tadaima!" he called to his empty house. The habit may have seemed odd to others, considering he lived on his own, but it was a way to help make his apartment a little, well, homier.

The shinobi bent down, removing his shoes with a wet smack sound. He grimaced, shaking his shoe upside down, as if he expected a fish to fall out. A blue eye peered inside before he shrugged and tossed it onto the tile. A bright orange jacket followed suit, splattering water everywhere when it hit the ground. Naruto released a small 'eep' as the liquid from one of his pockets drained onto his foot. Seriously, how could one person accumulate this much rain? With a frustrated huff, the young shinobi dropped his pants to the floor and stepped free of their suctioned confinement. With a swift tug, he yanked his black t-shirt over his head and let out a small cheer. Without all those extra pounds, he felt light as a feather. In fact, he felt like he could do laps!

With that thought in mind, he glanced around his house. He had cleaned before going on this last mission because he knew it was be a long one, so all of the pathways were clear of any garbage or random items he might have laying around. With a grin, he looked down at himself. He stood in nothing but damp boxers, skin still glistening with the water his clothes had soaked up. This could be a good opportunity to dry off! He had no plans for the night, so might as well get rid of any excess energy he'd stored up during the day, right?

With a snicker, the boy slid into a crouch and tensed his muscles. With a burst of chakra, he was off, flying around his house deftly. He slid around the edge of his couch, pretending it was a gorge he had to jump, and launched himself to the other side with a quick leap. His foot slipped as he landed on the arm and his arms flew up in an attempt to balance himself. Luckily, he was able to catch himself with his left arm, twisting himself with his hand and flipping to land in a low crouch. Wide blue eyes stared at his hand for a moment before releasing the breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

"Phew, that was a close one!" he said to himself. With a small adjustment, he turned his body to face down the hall and pushed himself back into motion. Bare feet barely registered against the hard wood as he practically flew down the small expanse of space. His hands flew out in front of him to catch himself as he slammed into his bedroom door. A laugh escaped his lips before tan hands pushed it open.

Once in his small room, Naruto rid himself of his underwear. He shivered when he was exposed and hurried to scrounge up a clean pair from the closest drawer. With an 'aha!' he tugged a pair of dark green boxers out from the unfolded mess. He looked out his bedroom door to the bathroom and let out a quiet 'hum.'

Should he shower now or should he wait until after he'd had something to eat? Right on cue, his stomach growled obnoxiously. But if he waited, he could get sick from the rain... But he didn't feel like showering... Hm...

In answer to his question, a loud rap echoed through the house. Naruto jumped in surprise. His head whipped back and forth, looking for something to throw on.

"I guess I'll be showering later then," he mumbled to himself as he pulled on his underwear. He was tugging on a pair of black sweatpants when the pounding returned.

"Coming!" he shouted, snatching up a t-shirt as he ran out of his room. He had forgotten it was still raining. Whoever was on the other side of that door was probably pissed. His feet padded softly against the floor as he hurried to the door. The shirt was thrown over his still dripping hair and quickly brushed into place. With an apprehensive breath, Naruto tugged open the front door. In the darkness, he could hardly see the figure standing before him. He squinted as his eyes adjusted.

"Sasuke?" A flash of lightning illuminated the dark-haired boy in front of him. The man was frowning miserably, though Naruto wasn't sure how he could tell since it wasn't far from his usual expression. He gaped in confusion for a short moment before the sound of the other's voice brought him back to reality.

"Are you going to invite me in or are you going to make me stand in the rain all night?" the raven drawled sarcastically. Naruto started, stepping backwards to give Sasuke room to pass.

"Yeah, sure," he mumbled distractedly, not registering it as an insult. It was rare that Sasuke came to his house, even when it was about missions. Why would he come on a night like this, of all nights?

His companion stepped past him, careful not to step on Naruto's bare feet. The blonde boy closed the door behind him, sealing away the cold of the outside world. The sound of rain thrumming against the roof was the only sound that could be heard in the house. Onyx eyes inspected his surroundings, falling on the pile of discarded clothes a few feet from the door.

"You're so messy," he commented, reaching down to remove his shoes. He placed them neatly against the wall, far from Naruto's clothing. When he straightened himself up, he looked over Naruto for the first time since his arrival. He was wearing a pair of loose black sweatpants and a slim orange t-shirt with a tribal sun in the center, a slightly less loud version of his usual outfit. It suited his small frame.

"Oi, I don't come to your house and criticize you, teme!" Naruto complained, bending down to grab the dripping bundle of clothes. " 'Sides, I just took them off," he mumbled in addition.

"Hn," was the only response he got. Naruto held the bundle away from himself and looked over at Sasuke, frowning.

"Well, the kitchen is on your left. Feel free to get yourself a drink while I put these away. If that's okay with you, sir stick-up-the-ass."

Sasuke smirked, crossing his arms. "Do you really want me wandering around your house like this?"

Naruto took in his friend's appearance for a moment before sighing. He supposed the other boy could use a towel or something...

"Okay," he conceded, glaring half-heartedly. "Just wait here, I'll be back with a towel." He moved to walk away, but paused after a few steps. Blue eyes glanced back at Sasuke. "Did you want some other clothes to change into? I know my clothes might not suit you, but I think we're the same size."

The raven tilted his head to the side. "I doubt we're the same size, dobe. I'm at least five centimeters taller than you."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Oh god, your ankles will show. Five centimeters is nothing." He turned and moved down the hall. Tossing his hand in the air dismissively, he said, "I'll get you something that will fit, don't worry."

Sasuke shook his head, allowing a small smile once the blonde was safely in his room. He looked around the small, empty house. The living room consisted of a couch, a chair and a coffee table, all of which appeared to be practically new, despite their vintage look. There was a small shelf that sat over the fireplace that held a single picture of Naruto and Iruka, both grinning from inside Ichiraku. Aside from that, the house was bare of any decorations.

The raven frowned. It was much like his own. Perhaps Naruto also felt it was pointless to decorate a house no one ever saw. Why waste money on silly things that were unnecessary?

Sasuke took a step forward, planning on moving into the living room, but stopped when a few droplets of water dripped from his shorts, reminding him of his current condition. Maybe he should remove his wet clothes before going anywhere. He ran a hand through slick black locks before stretching high above his head. A quiet groan escaped and the boy rubbed his neck gently. He still wasn't feeling quite right, not since that day... A shake of his head cleared away the thought and Sasuke returned to the task at hand. He proceeded to pull off his now skin-tight shirt, flapping it out in front of him to remove excess water. He followed suit with his shorts, making sure to check that his pockets were empty of any weapons before doing the same. With several long strides, he was standing in front of the fireplace. Carefully, he laid his clothes out of the floor. With a quick combination of hand signs, he released a small breath of fire onto the already-piled wood and it caught with a loud crackle. Straightening himself out, he looked down the hall. Naruto was already on his way back with a ball of clothing. Sasuke's eyebrow twitched. Clearly, he didn't believe in folding anything, if these last two instances were any sign.

When Naruto finally rounded the corner and looked to the door, his face crumpled into confusion. After a moment, he turned his head to the right and his eyes caught a half-naked Sasuke standing in his living room.

"A-ah, you're already undressed!" he stated awkwardly, heat rising to his cheeks. He looked to the side, the arm holding the clothes extending in Sasuke's direction. "You could have used the bathroom, you know."

Sasuke took a few steps forward and plucked the garments from his grasp. "I know," he stated simply. "But you were taking forever." Naruto's eyes shot back to him.

"What? I got them as fast as I could!" he protested, watching Sasuke dry his hair with the small towel. "Let's see you materialize clothes for an unexpected guest!"

Sasuke just smirked, holding out the towel for the other boy to take. Naruto snatched it, sticking his tongue out childishly. Why did Sasuke always have to be so rude? Geez, he really had no manners. He hadn't even explained his reason for being there yet, all he had done was criticize Naruto.

With a furtive glance in Sasuke's direction, Naruto frowned. The other boy was too busy pulling on the clothing Naruto had prepared to notice. The light of the fireplace flickered, dancing off Sasuke's pale abdomen and showcasing his lean muscles. The blush from earlier returned full force when Naruto noticed himself staring and he spun himself around before Sasuke could see.

_'Oh god, how embarrassing,'_ Naruto thought scoldingly. _'Stop staring, you idiot! Sasuke's a guy, not a girl! Even if he has some pretty feminine features... No, he's still a boy! It doesn't matter!_' He knocked his forehead with the back of his fist a couple of times before pulling in a deep breath.

"Did you want a drink?" he asked nonchalantly, walking through the kitchen door. He heard the soft padding of footsteps behind him, indicating the other had followed.

"Just water if you can," Sasuke responded. He pulled back one of the kitchen chairs, the small screech echoing in the quiet room.

"You haven't had enough water for one night?" Naruto joked, pulling a cup down from the cabinet. Sasuke snorted, sitting down.

"You would think," he replied, leaning into the chair. Silence settled between them for a few moments as Naruto fumbled about his kitchen. The sound of cabinets closing echoed in the small space. Sasuke's eyes scanned his environment. It was quaint, just large enough to hold the essentials. The raven currently sat at a tiny two-person table just in front of the door, which had been pushed against the wall to allow for ample walking room. On the opposite wall, there was a stove, a sink, and a fridge, all separated by a small amount of counter space. It was big enough for one person, but could hardly be considered comfortable.

"Have you eaten?" Naruto asked suddenly, breaking the silence. He refused to look back at Sasuke as he spoke. He wasn't sure why, but he was too nervous to ask why Sasuke had come. He couldn't shake this odd feeling that was taking over his chest. He felt so anxious...

Sasuke hummed in response. "I had dinner with Kakashi." Naruto spun around, pinning Sasuke with an accused look.

"Hey, how come Kakashi-sensei always takes you out to eat! He never even offers to take me!"

Sasuke shook his head with a smirk. "Probably because he knows you'd eat him out of house and home, dobe."

"I do not eat that much!" Naruto snapped, crossing his arms. He looked off to the side and muttered, "Besides, it's like that with everything. Kakashi-sensei just prefers you..."

Sasuke frowned, eyeing his friend. "You think too much," he concluded, standing and plucking the glass out of Naruto's hand. He stood there, less than a foot away from his blonde companion and waited for the other to meet his gaze. When Naruto looked back, he sucked in a breath. He hadn't expected Sasuke's close proximity. Nervous blue eyes darted around the boy's face before closing off from him.

"I'm just good at telling when others don't really like me," Naruto replied quietly. His tone was stiff, showing no emotion. He turned and moved back toward the sink. Reaching in the cabinet beneath it, he pulled out a teapot. Without looking back at Sasuke, he said, "Well, I'm gunna make myself some ramen, if you don't mind. I'm starving!"

Sasuke grit his teeth together. He hated the way Naruto just brushed off topics like he didn't care when it was so obvious that he did. Every time Sasuke attempted to call him out on it, it was as if Naruto leapt away from him like he had the plague. Sure, Sasuke was aware that he was equally as guarded, but at least he didn't precede it with such heartbreaking statements. Who wouldn't question further? Besides, Naruto was always so curious about him, it was only fair to return the sentiment...

"Stop that," he commanded harshly. Naruto froze. Sapphire met obsidian for a brief moment before the man looked down.

"Geez, Sasuke. If you really don't want me to eat that bad, I can wait," Naruto muttered irritably.

"Not that." The glass in Sasuke's hand clinked as he placed it on the table. He crossed the small space and took the teapot from Naruto's hands. "Stop changing the topic whenever it's serious." He moved past the now still blonde to fill the container. The rush of water filled the air, breaking the silence for a few moments. Once full, Sasuke set the object down on the stove and turned the dial until the familiar 'fwish' of the fire starting reached his ears.

Meanwhile, Naruto's eyes never left the boy's back. Why was he doing this? Why was he acting as if he had to take care of him? Surely, he had to have something better to do than worry over someone like him.

"I'm not changing any subject, teme. There's just not much to say." Sasuke turned to give him a flat look. Naruto looked away, refusing to meet his eyes. "You put too much water in the kettle," he added stubbornly.

"I'll have some tea," Sasuke replied off-handedly, stepping toward Naruto again. "Now can we get back to what you just said?"

Naruto crossed his arms. "I don't understand why this is such a big deal. It's not like you've ever cared before." As soon as the words left his mouth, he instantly regret them. His eyes lifted to meet Sasuke's only to see them blazing with fury.

"Never cared?" he spat angrily, brows drawing inward dangerously. "Are you really that blind, usuratonkachi?" Naruto's eyes widened. What did he mean? Surely, Sasuke had dozens of other things -other people- to worry about without adding him to the list. Sasuke didn't have time to care about him. And even if he did, why would he? It's not like anyone else in the village gave two shits about him and what he did. Hell, no one ever once called him out like Sasuke did. No one had ever even noticed...

The silence between them stretched on forever, Sasuke seething and Naruto working through his confusion. When it finally became too much for him to bear, Naruto opened his mouth.

"W-What are you talking about, Sasuke?" he asked meekly. Was he even worthy of this attention? This... friendship?

"If I didn't care, do you honestly think I would have saved your stupid ass?" Sasuke bit out.

The image of Sasuke standing over him, body covered in needles, flashed through his mind. The ache was still fresh in his heart at the thought. He had seen the light fade from Sasuke's eyes... He had seen everything disappear in those moments... His heart... it felt like it had been ripped from his chest and thrown onto the battlefield. He wasn't able to protect him. He couldn't save him... If it weren't for Haku's purposeful missing, Sasuke would have been...

A tan hand reached up to grab his head as pain began to surface. The color red was all he had seen and after that, there was nothing. Just a blank space until he had seen Haku's face...

"Naruto?" Sasuke's voice carried across the room to him, his tone almost worried. Naruto dropped his hand and gave his companion a wide grin.

"I suppose you're right!" he said, laughing. Without looking at the other boy, he moved past him to grab the steaming teapot. He turned off the heat with a click.

Sasuke watched warily as the blonde poured the hot water into a small cup of ramen. He didn't miss the slight shake to Naruto's hands. A sigh escaped his lips and he dropped his gaze.

"I shouldn't have come," he said suddenly, realizing Naruto wasn't going to talk to him. That grin meant he was shutting him out. Why did he think it was a good idea to be here? Why did he think that being in Naruto's house would help the words come? Why did he think this would be so easy? He almost laughed. Truth be told, he knew it wouldn't be. Nothing in his life ever was, especially when it came to Naruto. But when it came to Naruto, well he...

Blue eyes shot up and he turned his head to look at Sasuke. The dark-haired man had picked up his glass and emptied it in one swig and was now placing it next to the sink. The look in his eyes as he did so was distant. A pang of guilt echoed through Naruto. He quickly put down the pot and reached out to grab Sasuke's wrist as the boy passed.

"Wait, Sasuke." The words came out quiet, but the raven stopped in his tracks.

"There's no point, Naruto," he stated. "It was stupid of me to come in the first place." His hair fell to cover his eyes and he pulled his wrist free. "Sorry to interrupt your night."

Naruto watched, frozen, as Sasuke's back disappeared from view and into the living room across the hall. His hands trembled at his sides and he pulled in a shakey breath. Sasuke was acting so different tonight. He had hardly ever given Naruto the time of day before, unless it was to insult him. Why was he suddenly acting so...? And why did Naruto feel so guilty for shutting him out? Didn't Sasuke do that to him all of the time? Hadn't Naruto tried to have conversations like this with him countless times on their missions? And every time, in the still of the night, as they lay together in their small two person tent, Sasuke spoke the same words.

**_"It's late, usuratonkachi. Go to sleep."_**

Well, now the tables have turned. So why was Naruto shutting him out? For once, he had caught Sasuke's attention. Shouldn't he be doing everything in his power to hold it? After all... wasn't this what he wanted...? What he had tried so long to get...?

With a surge of determination, Naruto clenched his fists tightly. He stepped into the hallway and his eyes caught sight of Sasuke gathering up his clothes. The raven glanced in his direction.

"If you want, I can change back before I go," the raven said absent-mindedly, not meeting the boy's eyes.

"Sasuke, why did you come here tonight?" Naruto questioned, ignoring Sasuke's statement.

"Don't worry about it," Sasuke replied, making a face at his dripping shirt. The fire hadn't had much time to dry it out. "It's not important."

Naruto slammed his fist into the wall next to him, causing the plaster to crack and cave under the pressure. The blonde ignored the blood that dripped down his fingers from the hole he had made in the wall. He wanted answers. Sasuke wasn't one to show up with no reason. Especially not at his house. Last time he checked, he was pretty far from being on Sasuke's good side, so there had to be a reason he was there.

Wide black eyes shot in his direction. Sasuke stared at the hole in the wall for a moment before meeting furious blue eyes. What had he said to make the blonde so angry? Was it really that important to him?

"Well, it's too late for that," Naruto spat, advancing on his friend. "You showed up on my doorstep and you're not leaving until I get some answers!" His glare could practically burn a hole right through Sasuke.

"It was a mistake," Sasuke answered, glaring back. Pain flashed through Naruto's eyes briefly before being covered up.

"Whoop-dee-freaking-do, Sasuke. Everything in my life is a mistake, join the club!" Naruto's anger was bubbling to the surface uncontrollably, running through him like fire. How could Sasuke say that? Wasn't he at least worth an explanation? His night had already been going pretty shitty before that asshole had shown up, and now he was going to leave like this? No! That wasn't okay!

Sasuke stood in shock, almost overwhelmed by Naruto's outburst. He had never expected to hear those words come out of Naruto's mouth. Normally, he was such a pigheadedly confident person, it was annoying. He had so much confidence in himself that he would take on a Kage if one challenged him, even though he honestly didn't have the skills to back it up. Half the time, well, he was hardly qualified to be a ninja. But even then, he was always so positive and sure... To see him put himself down was beyond comprehension. It almost hurt...

"You can't just walk away now!" A tan hand reached out to grab the front of Sasuke's shirt and pull the other boy off of his feet. "What gives you the right!" Sasuke's chest tightened at the boy's statement. Was he truly that hurt by Sasuke's refusal to answer? Why did it matter so much to him? And why did Sasuke's chest ache so much when he saw that painful anger in Naruto's eyes? It was too much to handle. He had to get away before his chest popped.

Sasuke shoved the blonde boy backwards, forcing him to release the raven's shirt. "I can do whatever I want, dobe. Don't act like you know anything about me." He brushed Naruto's shoulder with his own as he passed, jostling the boy.

"I know if you walk out that door, you'll be just like the person you hate!" Naruto shouted, his back to Sasuke. His fists were clenched tightly at his sides and his back was shaking as he tried to hold in his flurry of emotions. There was a short silence of Sasuke pausing before the sound of quick footsteps and the heavy slam of the front door.

"Shit," Naruto muttered, dropping to his knees and grabbing his head. What had he done now? Why did he ever think it was a good idea to say that? These stupid emotions, they always clouded his judgement! Why couldn't he ever get anything right? Especially when it came to Sasuke? This just wasn't fair. All he wanted was to have one normal conversation with the boy. Just one! Maybe they could be friends if he'd just stop being such a damn idiot!

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The wet ground splashed up at his ankles with every step he took, feet flying across the hard pavement. He had run out without his shoes, which was a stupid idea. The ground was ice cold from the rain that still poured down. The boy was drenched in an instant, water weighing down his already heavy footsteps as he slowed to a jog. His chest heaved with uneven gasps until he practically stumbled to a halt. Hands grabbed his knees as he gasped for air. His mind was spinning, which didn't help his vision in the darkness. He felt nauseous.

Eyes lifting, he saw a small bit of cover under one of the bridges and hurried in that direction. Once under its protection, he collapsed onto the ground. Pale hands came up to grab his head, leaving his damp clothing to soak up more water on the hard wooden surface.

_'No!'_ he screamed in his mind. How could Naruto say that? He was nothing like Itachi! He never would be! How could Naruto dare to compare them? And for what reason? Because he changed his mind? Or maybe because he was running away... Either way, how could that blonde idiot even begin to understand? How could he think he knew him that well?

**_"Everything in my life is a mistake, join the club!"_**

That stupid voice echoed in his mind, grabbing his heart in a tight grip. Surely, he hadn't meant what he said... Hadn't Sasuke said things he hadn't intended to as well? Hell, in reality, wasn't this whole situation his fault? He was the damned stubborn one who refused to drop his pride for one god damned second. Why couldn't he have just said it? Why couldn't he have told Naruto why he came? It really wasn't that hard!

But it was! How was he supposed to even begin to explain what he was feeling? He had all of these emotions all pent up inside him and all he knew was he had to tell Naruto... He could hardly sleep thinking of it every night. Every dream quickly became a nightmare and all he could see was a blur of blue green flying towards bright orange. Each time, his heart felt like it was about to stop and his chest filled with an insuppressible panic that dared to overtake him. And every time, he would jolt awake to the sound of himself screaming Naruto's name. So many times did he see those tear filled blue eyes gazing down on him, sincerely filled with unimaginable pain, and he wondered if it had been a trick of the eyes as his consciousness had faded away. Because why would Naruto cry for someone like him? Someone who couldn't even save his own family? Someone who was too weak to even save his best friend?

And yet, Naruto had fought for him. Wasn't that proof enough that he hadn't seen wrong? Somehow, Naruto had not only survived, he had saved them both. He had defeated a foe that Sasuke couldn't find the strength to overcome. And that was what Sasuke's thoughts had centered around. How had he done it? Had Sasuke falling triggered something in him that gave him the ability to fight on? He had hardly been standing before...

Either way, he had saved them. Without Naruto, surely, they would be dead... So why couldn't he just open his damn mouth and say-

"Sasuke!"

Dark eyes shot up to stare at the dripping outline of a figure in front of him. One of the boy's hands was grasping the entrance of the bridge to hold himself up and his shoulders were heaving with every labored breath. Sasuke opened his mouth, but no sound came out. What was he doing?

"N-Naruto?" he stuttered, pushing himself to his feet unsteadily. "Why did you...?" The other boy staggered forward, an object dangling loosely from his grasp. He held up the object for Sasuke to see more clearly and gave him a weak smile.

"Sasuke forgot something important." The blonde dropped to his knees with a loud thud and Sasuke ran and slid on his knees to catch him before he could fall forward all the way.

"Usuratonkachi," the dark-haired boy muttered, allowing the other to rest his head on his shoulder. "You're going to get sick." His scold fell flat in their current situation, seeing as he was the one who ran out of the house without shoes, but he felt the need to say it anyway. Something about Naruto made him feel so protective, so worried...

But Naruto had followed him. Didn't that mean something? Perhaps that blonde idiot felt the same way... Maybe he was just as confused as Sasuke was...

Naruto chuckled tiredly into the wet fabric of Sasuke's shirt. "You shouldn't talk," he retorted. His lips quirked into a smile when he felt Sasuke's chest move up and down with a quiet laughter, but they quickly fell back into a frown. He pulled himself away, suddenly feeling wrong for being so close when just a moment ago, he had felt... safe... He wasn't sure why, but he had enjoyed the warmth of Sasuke's presence. It felt right to be so close... Blue eyes shifted to the right and his frown deepened.

"I'm... sorry," he mumbled nervously. "A-about what I said." His left eye peeked at Sasuke before looking away again. His eyes searched the distance for a moment, though he couldn't see very far with the rain. Finally, he sighed and met Sasuke's eyes seriously. "I didn't mean it, you know."

Sasuke's eyes softened and his head tilted to the side a little. "I know," he whispered. Naruto barely heard him over the raindrops splashing against the water's surface below, but still, he felt his muscles relax. He had expected Sasuke to be so angry. Why wasn't he mad at him?

The raven looked down at his hands, a frown lacing his lips. "I... I'm sorry, too."

Naruto's eyes widened. What? Did the great Sasuke just... apologize? Naruto wasn't even aware he knew how! He felt heat rise to his cheeks and scratched the back of his head nervously.

"Heh, thanks," he replied, grinning. His heart fluttered. Sasuke felt bad... That had to be a sign that he cared, right? The blonde wasn't sure why, but the thought made him happy. Maybe he wasn't alone after all. Maybe someone did think about him from time to time. Even if it was only once in a while, if Sasuke thought of him... The feeling made Naruto's chest lighter, as if he had removed some of his troubles. If Sasuke thought of him, then he could fight on. He finally had a friend to fight for. Haku's face flashed through his mind. He finally had a precious person...

"Naruto..." Sasuke whispered, dark eyes inspecting his face and brows drawn in concentration. Tan cheeks seemed pale in the silver moonlight that filtered through onto the bridge. The clouds had parted just long enough to provide them a few minutes of light. Beautiful blue eyes seemed to sparkle, framed by the boy's dripping gold locks. Two soft pink lips were parted to pull in much needed air and Sasuke found his eyes hovering there for a moment. It was clear that the other boy had been unable to catch his breath. Vaguely, Sasuke wondered if it was still because of his run or if it were due to their close proximity. He wanted to shake the thought from his mind, but part of him clung to the idea. Hadn't he felt oddly toward Naruto recently? Hadn't he begun to find himself watching the blonde boy more than he should? So why would it be odd for Naruto to feel it, too? Perhaps part of him wanted to reject the thought because it meant allowing for these odd feelings to simmer down and disappear. But still, something in him wanted to know. He wanted to understand why his heart had begun to race and why every night he dreamed of eyes as blue as the summer sky. When had this annoying pain-in-the-ass become a regular thought on his mind? Why had he found himself questioning what the blonde was doing or thinking? Hell, he even noticed the hitches in his mask when he was shot down by Sakura or left by Kakashi. Ever since they stepped foot out of the village on their mission to the Land of Waves, the blonde idiot had been catching his attention more often than not. And now, all of those emotions were beginning to make an appearance in his chest, causing it to tighten in restraint.

But he couldn't act on thoughts he hadn't even fully figured out! He couldn't assume that Naruto would understand how he felt when even he didn't! His heart clenched and he opened his mouth in an attempt to force out the words he knew he had to say.

He just had to say it... He needed to get it out. It was just two small words, Sasuke! Damn it! He just needed his pride to get out of the damn way! He needed to admit that he couldn't do everything alone, that he needed someone to lean on. But he had been alone for so long... In fact, he had been alone almost as long as he had experienced having a family.

But to let someone else in... The consequences could be deadly for all he knew. He wasn't sure if he could handle losing another person... Everything around him just crumbled into dust. Could he risk doing that to Naruto, too?

Blue eyes held his expectantly, anxious even. Naruto's heart hammered in his chest at the intense look in Sasuke's eyes. He wanted so badly to reach out and smooth to spot in between Sasuke's eyebrows. He wanted to tell him to stop thinking so hard, that it didn't suit him. He wanted to say so many things, but the words wouldn't come out. Somehow, they all felt wrong. He wanted to act, but he couldn't begin to fathom how. He had never had a friend before and he didn't know how Sasuke would react if he were to reach out and touch him in this sensitive state. And yet, the urge to do so was almost unbearable. He was sure that his relationship with Sasuke was complicated to say the least, but he couldn't understand why he wanted so badly to brush his fingers against that pale white skin. He wanted to tell Sasuke that none of it mattered. He wanted the boy in front of him to laugh that beautiful laugh he heard so rarely and ask why they had started fighting to begin with. To be honest, Naruto couldn't even begin to remember. Not with the weight of Sasuke's eyes baring down on him. No, right now, all he could think of was dark obsidian orbs. He was trapped in their depths, his own questions dissipating like fog.

"You know," he mumbled finally. "You never told me why you came tonight..." Sasuke's eyes softened, but he remained quiet. Naruto pouted. "I'm sure it wasn't to yell at me. Can you at least tell me if that's true?"

Sasuke snorted, allowing a smile to slip onto his features. Naruto gaped, heart chiming in with heavy thud. That smile... He could see why so many girls fell for Sasuke. Well... To be honest, he couldn't remember the last time he had seen Sasuke smile around anyone but him... But he wasn't with the boy 24/7, so how could he be sure?

"No, dobe. It wasn't to yell at you," the raven replied, releasing a small, amused huff.

"So then why would someone like you waste your time with someone like me?"

It felt like someone stabbed Sasuke's heart with a kunai. How could Naruto be so blind? He could never be a waste of time. Sasuke, too, used to think that the blonde was such a waste of space, a useless addition to their useless team. But he had seen the fire in Naruto's eyes, had witnessed him grow in just a few short battles. He felt Naruto's determination pump through his own veins in the boy's presence. It was unbelievable. So then how could Naruto not see it in himself? It was so blatantly obvious.

The raven-haired boy felt the sudden need to act, to show Naruto just how important he really was. But what did that entail? He wasn't even sure how he felt, and yet, looking at the sad boy in front of him, he felt the unbearable urge to reach the distance between them and touch his cheek. Why? They were both boys. This was insane! Why couldn't his heart listen to his head for once? Why wouldn't it stop hammering? He could feel the heat beginning to rise to his cheeks the longer he thought about the other boy's soft skin under his fingertips. He couldn't even begin to imagine how soft those delicate pink lips were... Ugh! Why! Why were these thoughts swirling around his head, filling it like cotton balls? He could hardly think anymore, his mind filled with images of his blonde companion.

"Sasuke...?" Naruto's voice was uncertain. What did Sasuke's silence mean? Why couldn't he just tell him?

"Thank you," Sasuke finally replied quietly. There! He said it!

Naruto's eyes widened. What? "Th-Thank you for what?" he questioned.

"For saving my life."

Naruto was frozen, wide eyes focused on Sasuke as the other boy leaned forward. Before he realized what was going on, a pair of soft lips descended onto his. His face felt like it caught on fire and his heart stuttered as if it would stop. Slowly, the pressure increased until he felt like he was getting dizzy. When Sasuke pulled away, blue eyes blinked in confusion. Had Sasuke just...?

"S-Sasuke," he stuttered, unable to breathe with the way his heart was pounding. He wanted so badly to pull the other boy back, to have some sort of control this time instead of sitting there like a brain dead idiot. He couldn't lie to himself any longer. He couldn't pretend he hadn't caught those dark eyes on his back or that he didn't notice the way his own breath caught when Sasuke smirked at him. He had always known that Sasuke was different.

He knew that something about him drew them together and no matter how hard he tried to ignore the dark-haired boy, he had always been in his life somehow. Even from the time they were very young, he had watched Sasuke from a far. But back then, he had just seen a lonely little boy, just like him. He wanted to comfort Sasuke, but he didn't know how. He had never been comforted before. All he had ever known was hate, disgust and at the very most slight tolerance, so whenever he tried to make the other boy feel better, he always ended up making things worse. He had no idea how to speak to people because none of the other kids wanted to be anywhere near him. How could he have known Sasuke would always misunderstand what he was saying? But from the first moment they spoke, he could feel a connection. There was something about this boy that he couldn't seem to ignore, and since Sasuke seemed pretty dead set on ignoring him twice as hard to make up for it, Naruto vowed to become rivals. It was his only option. Even if the other boy hated him, he was determined to get his attention.

And he finally did. For once, someone's attention was wholly on him. The feeling of Sasuke's eyes weighing down on him was almost unbearable, but it felt... good. All he could hear was the rush of blood in his ears as his heart dutifully pounded away. It almost tugged him forward, urging his body to move, to speak, anything! He didn't want Sasuke to think that this was a mistake, so why couldn't he just move?

Sasuke's eyes searched his face for an answer. "You have no idea what that means to me, Naruto. Because of you, I can live to fight another day. Because of you, my dream... I didn't have to give up on..." He couldn't manage to make the words come out right and he just kept stumbling over himself. The longer Naruto's silence stretched, the more panic rose in his chest. Did he make a terrible mistake? Was Naruto not tortured by the same questions as he was? He just wanted to know...

Two tan hands reached forward to hold Sasuke's face gently. Blue eyes shot back and forth between Sasuke's questioning eyes before settling determinedly. Sasuke's heart had practically stopped. Naruto's hands were warm against his face, despite the chill the had settled around them. The rain had begun to pick back up again, creating a wall of black around them. It was almost as if their little spot under the bridge was the only thing that existed.

Naruto leaned forward, pulling Sasuke the rest of the distance without any resistance. When their lips met again, Sasuke reached the space between them and clutched the front of Naruto's shirt. The blonde gasped at the sudden roughness. When Sasuke's lips began to move under his, it felt like a fire started beneath his skin. It raced through his body and he found himself responding without hesitation. It was as if his body already knew what to do, though his mind had no idea.

Naruto's hand slid down Sasuke's neck to rest on his shoulder. He shoved the raven away, ignoring the disapproving groan the boy emitted, and pushed him onto the damp ground beneath them. Dark, hazy eyes looked up at him. He couldn't help the way his stomach tightened as he looked down at Sasuke. The boy's hair spread around him messily, still dripping from the rain. His lips were parted to suck in much needed air, dark eyes holding Naruto's steadily. The intensity in his gaze left Naruto breathless. Could anyone really need him this much?

The blonde lowered himself, capturing Sasuke in another kiss. Who knew how long this would last, this beautiful feeling of needing and being needed. It was as if, in this moment, they couldn't survive without each other. His body was prickling with heat, senses peaked to enjoy every movement between them as he climbed over the lean shinobi beneath him. He felt Sasuke gasp into the kiss as his knee settled between the boy's legs. He arched into Naruto involuntarily and felt his face flush in response. Naruto hadn't intended it, but Sasuke's reaction made him smirk against soft lips. He pulled away to grin at the other boy.

"What's the matter, teme? Are you sensitive or something?" he teased. Sasuke glared at him with unfocused eyes. His chest was heaving up and down, making him look less menacing than usual. Naruto's chuckle was cut off by his own groan. Sasuke had raised his leg up, brushing it against Naruto's inner thigh. The raven was surprised by how much the sound turned him on. He sucked in a deep breath to try to center himself. Maybe he had been denying this for longer than he realized.

"Oi, that was a dirty trick," Naruto complained meekly, resting his forehead on Sasuke's. The dark-haired boy laughed quietly, his breath fanning across Naruto's face. The blonde smiled. He loved that sound. Sasuke lifted his chin to brush their lips together briefly, leaving them burning.

"We should get out of the rain," the raven reasoned, pulling both of them into a sitting position. "If we stay out here any longer, we'll likely both catch colds." His eyes drifted to the sky outside and he frowned. The storm didn't show any signs of letting up.

"You can stay at my house tonight. Y-you know, 'cause of the storm," Naruto said, as if he had heard Sasuke's thoughts. His voice was nervous and he looked off to the side in an attempt to hide his blush. Sasuke looked back at him and smirked.

"What's the matter, dobe? Scared of what I might do?" The raven leaned forward, lifting one eyebrow as he used the blonde's taunting against him. Naruto spun his head back, sputtering half denials, only to freeze, mouth opening and closing noiselessly. His heart felt like it had stopped. He wasn't sure he could ever get used to Sasuke being this close. Sure, Naruto had always ridiculed the girls of the village for their obsessive oogling, but that didn't mean he hadn't noticed how attractive the other boy was. In fact, he had to scold himself several times for staring at him at one point or another. So to see him this close, to see every dark eyelash that framed his perfect obsidian eyes, was breathtaking.

Sasuke pulled back with another laugh. "Your face, honestly, usuratonkachi" he said, chuckling, "You're so innocent."

"O-Oi!" Naruto stuttered. "We're the same age, teme! You're not any better!"

"Age has nothing to do with maturity, dobe." Sasuke stated, pulling himself out from under his blonde companion. He smirked at the glare he received, holding out his hand for the other to grab. Naruto snatched it grudgingly and allowed Sasuke to pull him up with him.

"I'm plenty mature! I just owned your ass, didn't I?" he retorted, jutting his jaw out. Sasuke snorted.

"And how's that?" The older boy reached down to grab his forgotten pile of clothes.

"Who was on top of who again, Sasuke?" he asked, grinning. The raven just rolled his eyes.

"Let's go, idiot."

\\\\\\\\\\

Steam rolled through the air, swirling around itself before crashing into one big cloud of water vapor. Dark eyes followed it carefully, blowing gently when it became too stagnant in front of him. The rush of water filled the room with a comfortable ambiance and Sasuke let it soak into his bones. He sat in just his underwear on top of the closed toilet seat, eyes looking upwards at the light. Despite its small size, the bathroom was comfortable.

A few feet away, Naruto stood beneath the steaming water, eyes closed as he allowed the heat to warm him from head to toe. He pulled in the heavy air and released it in an attempt to clear his mind. What did this new advancement mean? Sure, he was enjoying it at the moment, but what would this change in their lives? And would Sasuke regret this in the future? Naruto couldn't shake the questions that were beginning to hang in his mind in the silence following the moment they shared on the bridge. Why did Sasuke kiss him? Of all the people in the village, what made him so special? Was this all just because of what happened in the Land of Waves or was there more behind Sasuke's feelings? Had he even been a thought in the boy's mind before?

"Naruto?" the object of his musings interjected hesitantly. The blonde's stomach clenched nervously and he resisted the urge to bite his lip.

"Yeah?"

"What you said before, about everything in your life being a mistake... Do you really believe that?" The older boy's question made Naruto's heart ache. His tone was almost... hurt... But he had to see it, right? Wasn't it supposed to be blatantly obvious, how much of a failure he was? Was that even a question?

"Don't you feel it, Sasuke?" he murmured sadly, watching the water run down the drain. "Their hatred?"

"Who's?" Sasuke asked. Sure, he had noticed the way the villagers stared at him, sneered at him, but Naruto had always seemed oblivious to it all. His grin was just as bright, whether those around him were glaring or laughing. Surely, this wasn't the same boy talking, was it?

"Everyone's... The village's..." Naruto replied quietly. "And if everyone hates you, doesn't that mean you're doing something wrong?" His voice hitched when he spoke, cracking as he tried to stop it from trembling. "What am I doing w-wrong, Sasuke?" Suddenly, the shower curtain was yanked open, showing a fuming Sasuke.

"Don't say that!" he shouted. "You haven't done anything wrong! You don't deserve the way they treat you!"

Naruto stared at Sasuke, mouth open. Did he really believe that? Did he really think he was worthy of something more than this, this darkness? His heart skipped a beat. Had he been right about his bond with Sasuke from the very beginning?

Sasuke's eyes drifted downward and he realized what he had just done. Face flushing with a bright red, he pulled the curtain closed again, turning to look away from the shower.

"S-Sorry!" he stuttered, putting a hand to his mouth. Oh god. There was a short silence.

"Sasuke?" Naruto prodded uncertainly.

"Hm?" the raven hummed, unsure of his voice. His body was trembling.

"You have to shower, too."

"I'll shower after you." He wasn't about to suggest what Sasuke thought he was... was he?

"What if the hot water runs out?" Naruto's voice was quiet, shy. Sasuke clenched his fists to compose himself. Ugh, why did he always have to sound so innocent?

"Th-Then shower faster, dobe," he replied, pulling in an anxious breath. The thought of being that close to him...in the heat... A shiver ran up his spine and his stomach tightened. The temptation would be too great.

"Just come in, teme," Naruto blurted out. "Before you get sick." The last part seemed like a hastily thrown in addition. Sasuke smirked, eyes lifting to the ceiling. Naruto was always so stubborn.

Nervous fingers twiddled on the other side of the curtain. Naruto's eyes were squeezed shut as he forced his words out. His stomach was a ball of nerves, but he wanted so badly to see how Sasuke would respond. After a few moments of torturous silence, Naruto frowned.

"I'm gunna turn the water off, Sasuke!" he warned. A pale hand grabbed his wrist and he spun around to see the taller boy standing behind him.

"Calm down, dobe. I'm here." Naruto blushed and tried to stop his gaze from lowering. Sasuke tilted his head, noticing the look of concentration on the other's face. "You look constipated," he added, smirking.

"H-Hey!" Naruto shouted, raising his fist up in anger. Sasuke's hand reached up and grabbed the fist gently. He lowered it to his lips and pressed them softly to the warm skin. Dark eyes lifted to meet surprised cerulean.

"Don't ever think that you're a mistake," he murmured over the hum of the water. "You're more important than you know."

Naruto's breath hitched, his eyes stinging with the threat of tears. "Sasuke," he breathed. Could someone so perfect really think that of him?

Sasuke was shocked to see the tears forming in the corners of Naruto's eyes. "Naruto," he whispered. "Don't..."

Naruto cut him off by crashing their lips together. Sasuke grabbed the boy's arms to steady them and returned the pressure. He made sure to hold the other boy away from himself carefully, despite his body screaming otherwise.

'God damn it, who ever thought this blonde idiot could be so...?' His mind was as foggy as the room around them. He stepped forward, pushing the blonde backwards into the water and against the wall on the other side. Naruto jumped as his back touched the tile of the wall. Sasuke chuckled against his lips before pulling away. The water poured down on his head, trailing down his face as he smirked at the boy in front of him.

"Now get out of my shower, usuratonkachi."

\\\\\\\\\\

Naruto poured the boiling tea from the kettle into two small cups. He hummed quietly as he did so. If he remembered correctly, Sasuke didn't like sweets, so he would leave his tea alone. To the blonde shinobi, however, there was no such thing as too sweet, so he poured a hefty amount of honey in his own. He hitched the jar under his arm in case Sasuke wanted some, and lifted both cups from the counter. Tip-toeing quietly out the door, he peered into the living room. Sasuke was layed out on the couch under the blanket Naruto had provided for him, eyes scanning one of the scrolls from the boy's side table. His brows were furrowed together in concentration. A smile creeped its way onto Naruto's features.

_'Always at work,'_ he thought, amused. His feet padded gently against the floor as he entered the room. A tan hand held out the steaming cup and Naruto grinned down at his dark-haired companion.

Sasuke's eyes lifted from the scroll. When they refocused on the cup in Naruto's fingers, he met Naruto's eyes thankfully. The raven sat up and rolled up the item in his grasp, replacing it in its home, and took the cup from his friend.

"Which one were you reading?" Naruto asked casually. He sat down next to Sasuke carefully, trying not to spill the hot liquid in his grasp. When he settled himself, he sipped at the side of the cup tentatively.

Sasuke blew on his tea, grabbing the cup with both hands to warm his fingers. Even after their shower, he couldn't seem to shake this chill. His body felt like it was trembling.

"Strangely enough, it wasn't a ninja scroll," he answered, eyes trapped in the spinning liquid.

Naruto blushed. "A-Ah," he replied. "One of my gardening scrolls, neh?" He scratched his cheek nervously, half laughing.

"I didn't know you liked plants," Sasuke added, glancing over at the blonde. Naruto laughed.

"I, uh, I've been growing them since I was younger." He sounded almost embarrassed, as if it were something he didn't want others to know.

"Are you any good?"

Naruto practically spilled his tea all over himself as he jumped up, waving his free hand in the air. "Of course I am, Sasuke-teme! What sort of question is that?!" he yelled.

"Quiet, idiot. It's late," Sasuke scolded dryly, giving Naruto a flat look. The blonde froze and his expression dropped into a frown. He slowly lowered himself back onto the couch and pouted.

"So mean, teme," he complained. Sasuke rolled his eyes. The raven looked back forward, eyes surveying the dancing fire in the fireplace.

"What made you choose gardening of all things?" He asked Naruto curiously, not bothering to respond to the taunt. His eyebrow raised and he looked over at the blonde. Naruto scrunched up his face in thought, eyes also caught in the flickering flames.

"They are..." he began tentatively, frowning, "loyal..."

Sasuke's eyes widened and he stared at the innocent boy next to him. Loyal? What could he possibly mean by that? Plants couldn't **be** anything, they were plants, not animals.

When Naruto met his confused gaze, he chuckled nervously. "What I mean - ah- you see..." He rubbed the back of his head as he tried to gather his thoughts. His eyes drifted to the ceiling and he continued. "I can give them all the attention I want and they'll never hate me for it. In fact, the more love I give them, the more they flourish! They'll never abandon me..." He looked down at Sasuke, grinning. "They can't!"

There it was again. Such heartbreaking words for such a beautiful smile. How was it that this boy could seem so innocent and naive all the time, yet speak such heavy words? He could practically feel the pain seeping out of Naruto at the implications behind his own statement. Still, his smile was bright and confident.

'Such a good mask, dobe,' Sasuke thought scornfully, heart clenching. He would rip it off and smash if it he could.

"Don't say such painful things," he commanded gently, eyes meeting cerulean orbs seriously. Blue eyes widened in response. Sasuke reached out and took the cup from Naruto's hand and then placed both on the table next to him. He looked back at Naruto and leaned forward slightly. "Throw away your plants."

"W-What? No!" Naruto shouted, leaning backwards outrageously. "I just finished telling you how much they mean to me!"

Sasuke leaned forward further, hand reaching to lay on top of Naruto's. "Give all of your love to me." And in that moment, he realized how strongly he felt for Naruto. Why had he never seen it before? Why did it take him so long to acknowledge the idiot's attention? He had been chasing Sasuke their whole lives, why hadn't he just turned around and let the blonde catch up? And since they were forced to spend so much time together, he had started to see just how wrong he was.

Naruto was a bright ball of light that threatened to swallow everything around him. No matter how hard things got, he never even considered giving up, and things always seemed to end in his favor. He wasn't afraid to fight for what he wanted and for who he cared about. It was... amazing. And just like when they were younger, so much of his attention seemed to fall on Sasuke. At first, the raven had found it annoying, but in days where Naruto was absent from training or missions, he found himself missing the blonde's noisy chatter and constant prodding for a fight. It was odd.

And when his attention was constantly focused on Sakura... Sasuke frowned inwardly. He found his temper shorter than usual and a nagging tug in his chest whenever he noticed. It wasn't until recently that he had placed the feeling with a name - jealousy.

"I don't want you to share it with anyone or anything else."

"Sasuke..." Naruto whispered, eyes searching his face for answers. Blue orbs held a fearful hope. He was terrified, and yet... He felt like he had waited his entire life to hear those words. He looked down at his hands, frowning.

"I don't know what that means..." he confessed quietly. "I... I've never been shown the love others have... I... I don't know how..." Sasuke scoffed, causing Naruto to look up with a confused expression.

"I'm hardly any better in that department," he stated dryly. Naruto couldn't help the laugh that bubbled its way up. Sasuke smiled gently. He stood up, letting the blanket fall away from his legs, and held out his hands. "So let's learn together."

The sincere look in his eyes caused Naruto's breath to catch. Could this really be the same Sasuke he trained with every day? The one who shot him down at every chance and loved to belittle him? This gentle boy with his soft smiles? Could this moment really be true?

His hands reached up slowly and Sasuke grabbed them tightly, pulling Naruto to his feet. Without letting go, he began to pull Naruto down the hallway. The stuttering blonde flushed bright red, but allowed himself to be dragged. Sasuke pushed open the door, eyes quickly scanning his surroundings before releasing his companion. Naruto's eyes watched Sasuke steadily, gauging his reaction. The raven turned around and gave the door a quick shove, smirking when it clicked shut. He looked down at the shorter boy to see intense eyes on him.

"W-What?" he asked, unsure as to why Naruto was suddenly like this. He looked as if he was trying to see inside him.

"Is this real, Sasuke?" he asked seriously, blue eyes holding his unwaveringly. "This isn't a dream, right?"

Sasuke frowned, brows furrowing together. His hand reached out and pale fingers traced the scars on Naruto's cheeks. The action was soft, almost ghostly, making bumps raise on tan skin.

"I may have screwed up most of my life, but I promise you, I would never joke around with something like this. Though..." His serious expression suddenly turned suggestive. "If you really want to check if you're dreaming, I could do more than pinch you."

The blush that returned to Naruto's cheeks caused Sasuke to smirk. He was so cute...

"O-Oi, don't fool around, teme!" the blonde stuttered.

"That's not what we're here to do?" Sasuke kept a calm expression beneath that deadly smirk of his, toying with his blonde teammate.

"No way!" Naruto blurted, face nearly as red as a tomato. "Nuh uh, no sir! I'm not that easy! If you think you can just-"

Sasuke cut him off with a quick kiss. Naruto blinked, taken aback. Sasuke took the opportunity to push the dumbstruck boy over to the bed. The blonde stumbled backwards, knocking his calves against the wooden frame before falling to a sitting position on the mattress.

"E-Eh?" he meeped. "S-Sasuke, wait!" The raven leaned down to nip at the soft skin on the boy's neck. When Naruto let out a tiny groan, his stomach twitched. Hmm...

_'I wonder how many of those I can get him to make,'_ he pondered, pushing Naruto down the rest of the way. His fingers slid beneath the thin t-shirt, trailing along hot skin. Naruto arched upwards.

"Unn- Sasuke," Naruto complained, "That tickles!"

"Really?" the raven asked, slowing even more in his movements. Naruto whined, squirming. "What about this?" Pale fingers curled in slightly to rake against soft skin. Naruto released a quiet gasp, arching into the touch once more.

"Sasuke, s-stop," Naruto half moaned. "You're making me..." He was too embarrassed to finish his statement, hoping Sasuke would pick up on what he meant. The raven leaned forward, his leg brushing Naruto, and was pleased to hear the moan that followed.

"I'm serious!" Naruto protested. Unfortunately for him, his hips had decided to buck forward against his will, undermining his own statement.

"Hmm..." Sasuke mused, "You seem to be at conflict with yourself." He placed one knee on the bed, grinding his hips gently into Naruto's. "Are you sure?"

"A-Ahh!" Naruto cried before putting a hand over his mouth. Pleasure spiked through him and he bit his lip. Why did he have to be so damn sensitive? It's not like he hadn't touched himself before, so why was it so much more intense when Sasuke did it?

Sasuke was surprised again by how much the sound turned him on, his fists clenching the sheets in restraint. He clamped his bottom lip in between two teeth and closed his eyes.

When obsidian eyes slowly reopened, Naruto lost his breath. The boy's dark eyes were so filled with need, it was almost overwhelming. In the moment, it was as if Naruto was all he saw, all he wanted. The thought made a shiver run up the blonde's spine. To be wanted, so completely, was such an intense feeling.

"Sasuke, I..." he whispered, wishing he could close the distance between them. Sasuke smiled distractedly.

"I can wait for you," he murmured in reply. "Until you're sure, both body and mind." His hand cupped Naruto's cheek. "Because I want all of you, not just part."

Naruto pulled in a nervous breath, feeling every inch of his body tingle. Oh, how he wanted to tell Sasuke that he was just nervous. He wanted to tell him that it was no big deal. Why was it always so hard? He wanted Sasuke, that much he was sure, but for some reason, he just felt... anxious. He sighed, closing his eyes.

"Sasuke, I do want to, but-" he began, but the dark-haired boy put a finger to his lips.

"If there's a but, we can wait. Trust me, Naruto. I'm not going to change my mind." He wasn't sure why he felt so certain about this. If it was for Naruto, he could wait forever. He dropped himself onto the bed, tugging Naruto closer to him. Bright blue eyes looked up at him hesitantly. "But for tonight, let's just get some rest. We'll get sick if we don't."

Naruto nodded, resting his head on Sasuke's chest. He supposed Sasuke was right. Still... He looked up nervously. Sasuke gazed back at him and he sucked in a breath.

"Can I at least have another kiss?" he chanced awkwardly. Sasuke laughed outright, his chest shaking with his mirth. He laughed even harder when Naruto began to pout irritatedly. "Come on, teme, that's not nice." The raven's laughter petered out slowly.

"Always," he chuckled.

\\\\\\\\\\

Blue eyes watched the boy beneath him, hovering quietly in the early morning light. The birds had barely come up with the sun and his eyes were already focused on the perfect features of his best friend. The rain clouds had parted over night, letting the sun rise without problems, bright rays leaking through the window and onto the bed.

Naruto found himself staring, always mesmerized by the innocent expression on Sasuke's face when he was sleeping. His fingers hovered over dark hair, wanting so badly to run through the soft locks. He stopped himself before he could touch the boy, however, frowning to himself. If he woke Sasuke up, would his expression harden and would the Sasuke from last night disappear? Would he regret the choices he made the night before? Would he leave, taking with him this feeling of bliss that had settled in Naruto's chest? He wasn't sure. Maybe, if he could just prolong it a little more, he could forget his doubts.

He didn't want this to end.

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***End Flashback***

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Shaking fingers tightened around the porcelain cup in the man's hand. He had finally composed himself, but even the hot liquid in his grasp couldn't calm his nerves. His missions lately had brought back so many memories that he wished he could forget. They were so tainted with doubt and betrayal now...

But how could they ask him to give up his search...? Sure, he expected it from everyone else, but of all people, how could Sakura agree with them? Didn't she understand what he was going through? She loved him, too, didn't she? How could she even begin to think he would ever allow anyone to-!

Naruto shook his head, trying to forget the broken look in her eyes. He released a heavy sigh. Of course she knew. She knew better than anyone would. She had given everything to Sasuke, layed her heart on the line, only to have him turn and walk away. She had done everything in her power to stop him...

_'Why, Sasuke? Why did you have to go and leave us all alone? Why did you toss us aside like rag dolls? Weren't we more important than that? Wasn't I more important than that...? You said...'_

The blonde groaned and stood. He began to pace around his living room, wishing he could run away from his own thoughts. None of that mattered now... They were going to force him to let go... He couldn't bear to let go...

Blue eyes widened suddenly. He felt a small spark of chakra, almost like a signal. The feeling licked at his stomach in a familiar way, making his muscles tighten in anticipation. He knew that chakra.

"Sasuke," he hissed. He ran to his front door, quickly pulling on his shoes. He didn't care if he got soaked, Sasuke was so close. He was sure of it! A tan hand tugged open the wooden door and he flew out, not waiting to hear it slam behind him.

His feet fell deftly on the hard rock beneath him, splashing through puddles carelessly as he ran. He built up chakra in his feet, catapulting himself further. When he reached the river, he took a hard right.

_'He couldn't be...'_ the man thought, brows furrowing. Was Sasuke waiting under the bridge where they...? He could hardly see it in the distance through the fog. The rain around him was far from letting up, which made matters even worse. When he was almost at the entrance, he felt the chakra signature disappear. His heart began to sink, but he continued to run for the bridge. When he felt the comfort of it's cover, he wiped the water from his face, eyes darting around the bridge.

Sure enough, mere feet away, stood the dark silhouette of his best friend. Sasuke must have hidden himself once he knew Naruto was close enough. So it had been a signal...

The blonde took a step forward, hand reaching out before falling back to his side.

"Sasuke," he whispered, afraid that if he spoke too loudly, the other man would run. For a while, Sasuke didn't respond. The only sound between them was the clatter of rain hitting the roof, secluding them in their own little world. Finally, the sound of Sasuke's voice, deeper now than it was when they were young, carried to Naruto's ears.

"Do you remember?"

Naruto knew instantly that he was talking about that day... His heart panged and he clenched his fists. How could he ask such a question? He could never...

"I will never forget," came Naruto's determined response. Sasuke was quiet. Blue eyes inspected him. "Why have you come?" he asked. Did he have any intentions of staying? Could Naruto convince him not to go?

"We have unfinished business," Sasuke answered. He turned to look at Naruto briefly before disappearing. Naruto ran forward, eyes wide as his hand grasped smoke. He clenched his jaw. There was only one thing that could mean.

The blonde shinobi turned on his heels and head into the storm. He retraced his steps backwards to his home, leaping up buildings to reach his door easily. When he landed in front of his apartment, Sasuke's figure came into view. The boy was standing safely beneath the small awning Naruto had added in the last few years. Dark eyes looked up pointedly before falling back to Naruto.

"New addition," he pointed out. Naruto huffed, frowning as he moved past Sasuke to open his front door.

"Yeah, I figured it's better than letting people stand out front and get soaked," he muttered. The raven followed him inside, like he knew he would. When they were both safely in the house, Naruto called a quiet 'tadaime' and closed the door with a click. He turned to face Sasuke, irritation clear on his face.

"I don't know what you think is going to happen," he added, removing his wet shoes and tossing his jacket on the hanger by the door. "You've got a hell of a lot of explaining to do if you think we're gunna 'finish' any business from that night." He refused to meet the dark eyes he could feel following him.

Sasuke slipped off his shoes, padding softly after the blonde as he trekked down the hall. He listened as Naruto grumbled incoherently, inwardly surprised at the ease with which the boy allowed him in his house. He wasn't even trying to attack or detain him...

When the two reached the end of the hall, Naruto spun around and put his hand out in a stop motion. "Not a step further," he commanded. "I have to get changed because some idiot I know likes to hang out in the rain. How you're not wet is a mystery to me!" The last part came out more irritated than the first.

Sasuke gave him a flat look. "Maybe because I'm not a dead-last ninja like you." Naruto growled, fingers tightening around the wood of the door.

"Shut it, Sasuke!" he bit out. He was about to slam the door when he paused, pulling it open again. "And stay right there! Don't you dare move!"

Sasuke lifted an eyebrow. "And how can you be sure that I'll listen to you?"

Naruto glared at him. "I'm not as stupid as you think, asshole! You wouldn't have come here without a reason and I doubt you'll leave before fulfilling it."

"And you're sure I haven't already?"

Blue eyes widened for a moment before narrowing. He hadn't considered that Sasuke was here for anything other than to torture him. He supposed the thought had been pretty vain... Setting his mouth in a thin line, he pushed the door open all the way without dropping his arm. Sapphire held onyx steadily, one expression set determinedly, the other cool yet curious.

"Fine," Naruto grit out. "You can come in, but you can't look. Stare at the moon or the wall for all I care, but don't you dare turn around."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Change into whatever you want, it won't be on for long." His face was serious when he said this, no emotion showing. Naruto growled, fists clenching.

"I told you, you better think twice if you think that I'm gunna-"

"Shut up and change, usuratonkachi." Sasuke stepped past his blonde companion, pushing the man's arm out of the way as he passed. Naruto spun around, pointing a finger at the other man accusingly.

"I'm serious, Sasuke!" he shouted.

"You're always serious, dobe." Sasuke stood at the window, hands in his pockets. His eyes gazed out distantly, mind lost in other thoughts. Naruto seethed behind him.

"Enough with all the insults, teme!" he burst out. His hand covered his mouth. He hadn't intended to use his old nickname for the boy. In fact, he had been trying to avoid it. He wanted to appear as distant as possible. It was the only way to protect himself.

He heard Sasuke chuckle under his breath and his heart skipped a beat. The blonde sucked in a breath and turned to sort through one of his drawers. Damn it, damn it, damn it. It was too easy to fall back into step. It was too easy to cave in and pretend like nothing had ever happened. But it did happen. And he had spent years training to bring him back... He had suffered through so many nights, plagued by nightmares that wouldn't allow his mind to rest. How could Sasuke act so nonchalant? Playing with him, as always... That's all Naruto ever was to him. A game.

The blonde bit his lip, focusing on quickly swapping out his t-shirt and rummaging through the next drawer for some sleep pants. His mind continued to race. Why was Sasuke here all of a sudden? Did he know what Konoha had asked of him? Did he know that the world wanted him dead? Was this his way of saying goodbye? Naruto shook his head violently, refusing to listen to the voice in his head. He would make sure that didn't happen. He would always protect Sasuke.

"Done yet?" the raven drawled. "I see the sky every night, I already know what it looks like."

Naruto snorted. "Yeah, I'm done. You're so impatient." Sasuke turned and crossed his arms.

"And you're slow," he retorted. He dropped his arms and sauntered forward. Naruto watched him warily, stepping backwards when he got too close. "What's the matter, Naruto? Are you scared of what I might do?" he teased, tilting his head. Naruto's chest puffed instantly and he stepped forward. It was hardly the first time he'd heard that taunt, and yet he still succumbed to it every time.

"Who's scared of who, asshole!" he yelled, raising his fist. Sasuke grabbed it and tugged him forward, their lips colliding roughly. The familiar jolt rushed through him, making him feel more alive than he had in years.

Sasuke smirked, pulling away. His free arm wrapped around the man's waist. "You're right," he admitted, "I am scared of you." Before he could do anything else, Naruto pulled himself free. His face was beet red and set in a deep frown. He stood there for a moment, chest heaving.

"Why did you do it, Sasuke?" he heaved finally. He watched Sasuke with guarded eyes. The raven looked away.

"What are you talking about, idiot? Always babbling nonsense at inappropriate times."

Naruto clenched his fists. "You know what I'm talking about, Sasuke! Don't pretend like you don't!"

Sasuke frowned. "I already told you, for power. For revenge." He didn't want to answer the real question he heard in the blonde's tone.

"Even so, how could you abandon us? Sakura and me?" Naruto's shout was almost pained. His eyes flashed with wild fury. "Weren't we worth more to you? Didn't we try hard enough? What do you want from us? W-What can we... What can I do...?" He shoulders began to shake and he looked down, biting his lip in an attempt to keep the tears from falling. God damn it, why did he always have to be so weak?

"Naruto..." Sasuke's voice was soft, longing. Naruto's head snapped up, tears slipping from his wide eyes. The man across from him stepped forward, frown set on his face. His eyes were sad, and for a moment, Naruto felt like he was looking at the boy he knew all those years ago. His heart stuttered and the tears fell harder.

"I-I..." he whimpered. "I couldn't save you, Sasuke... Why couldn't I save you?" Sasuke's chest ached at the pain in his friend's voice. It was almost as if something were slicing right through his heart.

Without speaking, the raven strode forward and cupped the man's face in his hands. His thumbs wiped away some of the tears just to have them replaced my new ones. Naruto's breath was hitching and he was beginning to sob, curling into Sasuke's chest. The taller man wrapped his arms around him, holding him tightly. He frowned down at golden locks. He hadn't intended to hurt Naruto so badly, but it had been his dream, his reason for living. Why couldn't he see that?

"Wasn't I good enough, Sasuke?" Naruto whimpered into Sasuke's shirt. "D-Didn't I love you enough?" The raven pulled away and grabbed Naruto's chin, tilting it upward and forcing the smaller man to look at him. Watery blue eyes blinked in an attempt to clear away the tears and his lip trembled.

"I thought I told you not to say such painful things," Sasuke reprimanded sharply. Serious eyes were filled with worry and sadness. He leaned down and pressed a firm kiss on the man's lips. This time, Naruto pressed back, arms reaching up to wrap around Sasuke's shoulders. His heart was pounding in his ears and he was tired of refusing something he he been waiting years for. He was tired of hurting. He just wanted Sasuke here with him. He would get answers later.

Sasuke pulled Naruto closer. He ran his fingers through golden locks, nails scraping his scalp gently as they moved. Naruto found himself sliding his fingers up into Sasuke's hair as well. He clenched his hand into a fist, tugging the man's head back. His mouth trailed kisses down Sasuke's jawline before landing to nip gently at his neck. Sasuke emit a small groan. He grabbed Naruto and lifted him up, causing the blonde to gasp in surprise, wrapping his legs around Sasuke's waist to steady himself. Wide blue eyes look down into unfocused onyx.

"Well, well. Someone's gotten feistier."

Naruto blushed, but smirked in response. "Well, traveling with Jiraiya, you have plenty to read on the subject."

Sasuke smirked back before turning and dropping the blonde on the bed and crawling over him. "Well, let's see what you've learned."

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The first rays of early morning peeked through the window, reaching across the twisted bed sheets to splay across two naked forms. Blue eyes fluttered open with a small groan. Naruto yawned and turned to see Sasuke lying next to him.

_'So it wasn't a dream,'_ he thought, smiling softly. He picked himself up on his elbows and looked down at the boy next to him, sleeping calmly. To tell the truth, he had expected Sasuke to flee before morning. Maybe he had been too tired to do so...

Naruto blushed, scratching his cheek. His stomach clenched as he thought about the night before, body tingling in response to the images in his head. Before he could get too lost in his own thoughts, he glanced over at the man next to him again. A frown laced his lips.

If Sasuke woke up, would he leave again? What would he say? What did this mean? A sigh escaped his lips. Could he just freeze time for a while, make Sasuke stay here with him, and just be happy? Would his life ever be that easy?

He lowered himself back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. _'No, probably not,'_ he concluded. He knew there was no chance of his best friend staying. The fact that he was still here was miracle enough. Next to him, Sasuke began to sir. Naruto quickly shut his eyes and feigned sleep. A couple moments of rustling followed before a short silence. He could feel the weight of Sasuke's gaze on him. He tried to look as calm as possible, hoping he wasn't trembling as much as he felt like he was. Finally, he felt a soft pressure on his forehead. A kiss. His heart stuttered again. Even when he thought Naruto was sleeping, he still showed this kind of affection...

The raven quickly got up and dressed, cursing quietly at the sun. He had hoped to get out before it rose so he wouldn't be sighted leaving the village. He wasn't supposed to fall asleep! But last night had been... He shook his head, shivering. He couldn't think about it or he wouldn't be able to go.

"Sasuke," came Naruto's voice quietly before he could reach the door. He froze, listening to the man's sleepy tone. "Your birthday, it's next month..." Sasuke's eyes widened, but he didn't turn to look at his friend. "Can I... Can I see you?" Sasuke remained quiet for a moment before responding.

"Just you," he answered finally. "No one else."

"No one else," Naruto agreed, sitting up.

"Promise me," Sasuke insisted. He wanted to make sure Naruto wouldn't try anything funny. There was a short pause.

"I promise, teme. Don't you trust me?"

Sasuke snorted. He reached out to open the bedroom door and blue eyes watched as it clicked shut.

"Just be here," Sasuke's last words rang out.

Naruto smiled. It was a start.

On the other side of the door, Sasuke was stationary, a small smile resting on his face. Next time, he would say it. Next time, the words would come easier.

_'I love you, usuratonkachi.'_


End file.
